Little Big Things
by DragonDashi
Summary: Right so this will just be a collection of Harry Potter oneshots and things I think are important. Uh, yeah, I hope you enjoy this.
1. Memory Box - Do Not Open

"James Potter," James said, shaking hands with the girl to his right.

"Lily Evans," she replied with a smile.

* * *

"Hey, Evans," James drawled.

"What?" Lily stood poised as if she were frozen in time, her books in arm, caught unawares around a corner.

James laughed, and pointed towards a scrawny brown-haired boy sitting slumped in the corner.

"Care to take a hit?"

Lily gasped.

"James! How could you! He's just an innocent boy! What are you doing?" She dropped her books and rushed to help the poor child.

"Oh, Merlin, he's got a broken leg - Professor McGonagall!"

The witch came hurrying to his aid, while James, Sirius, and Peter stood sheepishly in the corner. Remus was nowhere to be seen.

"James - Potter!" Lily spat viciously, whirling around. "There, see, you've done it! You sent a student to the hospital wing!"

"Well, to be fair, he was just asking for it standing around alone like that-"

"Potter!" She yelled, and in a blink of an eye, she had smacked him across the face, leaving James reeling and blinking dizziness away. By the time he had come to his senses, all that remained was a flash of red hair and his pain.

* * *

"Look, Evans, I'm sorry-"

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" Lily shrieked. "How many students have you sent to the hospital wing, Potter? How many?"

James shifted uncomfortably in his robes.

"Well-"

"At least ten!" Lily burst out. "That's ten innocent children you hurt intentionally for no reason! Why would you even do such a thing?"

"Will you calm down?" James yelled, throwing his arms up in frustration. "They weren't your friends, or anything! Why does it matter what happens to them?"

"James Potter!" Lily seethed. "I'm never speaking to you again!"

She stomped off in a storm of anger and red hair. James gave a heavy breath, and went to find his friends.

* * *

"Remus! You shut up now!" Lily laughed. "I don't fancy him! No one does! He's a nasty rat-faced _toerag_!"

"Well, if you put it that way," Remus replied, clicking his pen, "it makes him look positively awful,"

"He is! Bloody _Potter_ Remus! I don't see how you can stand him,"

"He's not _that_ bad…"

"Yes he is!"

"Lily, if you compare him to Snape…"

Lily paused, at a loss for words. Mildly disturbed, Remus turned his head to gaze at her stiffened form.

"Severus is… Different," she finally replied. "He's not…"

"Lily, what's wrong?"

She hesitated, and buried her face in her arms.

"He called me a mudblood…," she muttered.

"He what? Lily-" Remus sighed, stroking her hair as the sniffles began. "Come on, it's ok…"

* * *

"Severus, how could you?" Lily snapped. "I - I thought you were different!"

"I am!" Snape stood stiffly, his face impassive.

"Then why would you even say that?" She shouted, a faint sob tainting her words. "I thought you were so much better than this! Does it make any difference being a muggle-born?"

"No, it doesn't make any difference -" Severus began.

"Then why do you care?" She shrieked. "Why does it even matter? Why does the word, _that_ word, even exist?"

"I - it might have some uses…"

"What uses? It's just a stupid term made up by some great pure-blooded wizard that thought he was better because he was pure-blooded!"

"..yes, that is true, but -"

"And now it's just a word used by people like Avery and Mulciber and now you!"

"What's wrong with those people?" Severus demanded. "They're my friends!"

"Yes, but they also hate muggle-borns and I even heard that they started trying to do Dark Arts! Severus - wait," Lily whipped around and glared intensely at her friend.

"Are you… doing Dark Arts too?"

The boy shifted uncomfortably in his robes.

"Well it could be useful sometime if something bad happens…"

"Are you going to become a Death Eater?" Lily's voice was low, quiet, and deadly, like a python ready to strike.

"Um…"

"Well, are you?" She demanded.

"I mean, it can't be that horrible, can it…?"

"Severus!" Lily yelled. "I can't believe that you, you of all people - you know what, forget it. I'm never talking to you again," she shouldered her bag, picked up her books, and began to leave.

Severus stood silently until she had almost reached the doorway. Then, he snapped.

"But why must you see everything as if it's all just the worst thing possible? You always do that! It doesn't matter what it is, if it even seems remotely bad, you label it as evil!"

"But they are!" she snarled. "And you-I never would have thought it would be you! I thought you were different from other Slytherins, Severus, but here you go and act like bloody Potter!"

"I am _not_ Potter you filthy mudblood!" Severus roared.

He stopped, realizing his mistake.

"Lily-" He started, but it was too late. Lily gave him one last look, one filled with anger, confusion, and maybe even a little remorse, before turning on her heel and promptly slamming the door shut. She was gone. Severus slowly moved towards a chair and sat down to place his head in his hands. He had made a terrible mistake…

* * *

"Sirius - is that _Snape_?" James suddenly said.

"Uh, I-I think so," Sirius stammered nervously. "But I'm not sure it might be someone else-"

"Sirius, that's Snape! Sirius!"

The boy gave a strangled groan, and ran off towards the figure ahead, tripping and stumbling as he went, until he morphed into a large black dog. A moment passed, and James began making his way in the direction of Severus. He watched in horror as a mangled howl ripped through the hallway, and a large, hairy figure appeared at the door frame.

"No, no, NO! Snape! Remus - RUN!" He screamed. Panicking, he sprinted towards the figures frantically running towards the exit.

"Snape! What are you doing - how - get out of here!"

"Your idiot friend told me to look!" Severus snarled. "And that werewolf - it's Lupin isn't it?"

"No, no, no - look out!" James lunged towards the werewolf as he leapt for Severus, and roughly shoved the beast aside, where both werewolf and boy fell with a sickening crunch. James sprang off the snarling animal and winced as he tried to get up. His left arm hung limply by his side. Cursing, he hauled the other boy up and whipped out his wand to cast a thin, haggard shield around them before both students made a wild dash for the exit. Another howl, and Remus tore through the weak defense, hurtling towards the wizards up ahead. Sirius ran madly after him barking and whining in alarm. But, however hard he tried, Sirius couldn't catch up to the werewolf.

The pair sped through the tunnel, bumping walls and tripping on multiple questionable objects on the ground.

"I should have known!" Severus hissed. "Lupin-"

"You shut up about this," James whirled around and cast another thin barrier behind them.

"Not one word about this, Snape. Not one word,"

They burst out of the ground, and slammed the opening shut just barely in time. Outside, although both boys were drenched in sweat, neither was willingly to succumb to their exhaustion and rest.

After a full minute of silence (aside from the numerous growls, snarls, and howls coming from behind them), Snape fixed his robes and began striding down the path back to the dorms.

"Potter, if you think the Ministry will not hear about this-"

"You are in my _debt_ , Snape. I saved your life. You better shut up,"

There was a moment of silence, and then the sound of feet scuffing a dirt path.

"I do not owe you," Severus growled. "You merely repaid the debt of bringing me here in the first place,"

James gave a snarl of frustration and clapped his hands to his face.

* * *

A girl with a full head of red hair sits with her head in her arms in the corner of the Gryffindor common room. She has been hiding there the entire day, and none of her friends have so much as seen a blink of her. Now it is almost bedtime, and students are heading up to their dorms to sleep. None of them notice her, because of the Notice-Me-Nots she has cast around the area. The room clears, and she is alone again.

An hour or so passes.

James Potter enters the room. He is clearly alert, and visibly agitated. He mumbles some rather unflattering things about Severus Snape and clutches his arm in pain.

"That stupid prat. I swear, if he turns Remus in, I swear…" he collapses on the couch and pulls out his wand.

Lily goes unnoticed.

"What was that spell again? Episkey," he tried. It twitched, but his arm did not mend itself. Growling in frustration, he threw his wand down and lay angrily on the couch, muttering to himself.

"I wish I had let Remus maul him," he huffs. "Remus probably would if Lily didn't care so much,"

In the corner, something shifts, and James is on his feet, wand in hand, in a flash.

"Who's there?" He calls. "Show yourself!" He receives no answer. James squints into the darkness, and begins to turn away.

" _Homenum Revelio!_ " He suddenly says, and his wand tip shivers.

"I know you're there," he hisses. "Come out!"

"Go away," Lily's small voice, hoarse and broken, makes its appearance next to the bookshelf in the corner of the room.

James starts. He wasn't expecting that.

"Lily?" He asks softly. "Is that you?"

"Go away, Potter. I don't like you,"

"I know that," he snaps, but lowers his voice at the sniffles. "Are you crying?"

"No,"

"Yes you are,"

"Go away Potter,"

James points his wand at a red pillow sitting on the couch.

" _Wingardium Leviosa_ ," he murmurs, and levitates the pillow in the direction of the sniffles.

A moment passes, and something in the corner flickers, and goes out. Lily's hunched form appears, hands around her knees, still in her robes, head buried in her arms. She hugs the pillow tightly to her chest.

James slowly makes his way towards her, holding another pillow in his hand. Silently, he sits by her side, knees crossed, one arm still limp and lifeless.

"Hey, now…" He murmurs. "It's ok…"

"No it's not. Go away Potter," Lily mumbled.

After a long while, James dared himself to scoot a little closer. The amount of noise it made seemed deafening compared to the muffled silence that filled the room.

"Give me your wand," Lily whispered.

"What?" James almost jumps at her voice, but obliges anyway. Lily takes it, and just barely raises her head. Her eyes are sullen, hollow, and puffy from the tears that had dripped out and streamed down her cheeks.

"Ferula," Lily's voice was almost a sigh, barely a whisper, more like a tiny breeze rather than a voice.

James's arm splinted itself, and Lily dropped the wand to bury her head back in her arms.

Perhaps an hour later, James allowed himself to stroke her hair. Neither made a complaint when James came so close that he could have wrapped his arm around her.

Late that night, three boys tiptoed into the Gryffindor common room, all three exhausted and ready to sleep. One of them had fresh scars that had been healed just minutes ago, and the other two still had their wands out. They were too tired to even put them away.

They immediately noticed the pair sleeping in the corner, one leaning on the other, red hair almost covering the boy's face. The trio smiled, and almost forgetting their fatigue, brought in more pillows and an enlarged blanket.

The next morning, the Gryffindors came downstairs to find James and Lily still sleeping besides the bookshelf in the corner.

* * *

"Lily!" Remus ran through the hall to catch up to his red-headed friend. "I have something from James!"

"Not again," Lily rolled her eyes but accepted the small package anyway.

"Gotta go, see ya!" Remus sped off before she could say anything, yelling something about the Annual Moroccos Meeting.

Lily squinted at his steadily shrinking figure in the distance, and shrugged off her confusion. She opened the package.

Inside was a folded, empty piece of parchment and a note underneath it, which read,

 _Lily,_

 _Tap the parchment with your wand. When you're done, give this back to Remus_

She raised an eyebrow, and took out her wand.

"This better not be a trap," she muttered.

"Ah well," she tapped her wand on the paper, and the words, _Lily, I see you have found my parchment_ , appeared in black ink, floating and twirling around the page.

"Idiot!" Lily face palmed. "You gave it to me!"

The words disappeared, and new ones replaced it.

 _Maybe so. But hey, it's working, so…_

"Oh my god," she sighed. "Ok, what do you want, James?"

 _Wha- Moony! You weren't supposed to tell her it was from me!_

 _I wasn't? Sorry._

Lily had a sudden feeling that more than one person was involved in the making of this note.

"Hi Remus,"

 _Hello Lily. You're hair looks very nice today._

"Thank you! I used a spell that Alice showed me, she says -"

 _Moooooonyy it's my turn!_

 _Sorry, Prongs._

"Oh my god you two are absolute children,"

 _There's more than two of us!_

 _Yes, hello Lily._

 _PADFOOT, WORMTAIL, SHUT UP._

 _Yes of course._

 _No worries._

 _Mate._

 _Oops._

Lily laughed, and clapped a hand to her face.

"So what's the point of this?"

 _Well…_

A long silence followed, the parchment completely empty of words.

 _Prongs, hurry the bloody hell up!_

 _Yes, even I think she's getting bored of you._

 _Shut up and let him speak._

Lily stood and waited with a patient expression on her face.

 _Prongs, if you don't tell her, I will._

 _No! Wait, I just have to, um…_

 _Prongs would like to ask you to accompany him on the next hogsmeade trip._

 _NO MOONY! I MEAN YES, I WOULD, BUT NO! MOOONNYY!_

Lily snorted, and folded up the piece of parchment. She could almost hear them still arguing within the little paper. She grabbed the written note, turned it over, and pulled out her pencil (yes, pencil) to write a single word on the back.

 _Yes._

* * *

"Lily, what's taking you so long?" James asked hesitantly outside the bathroom door. "You've been in there for thirty minutes, and, are you alright?"

Just as before, he received no reply.

"Lily, we're all getting worried," Remus's voice echoed throughout the bathroom.

"Even Sirius is here, and we had to pull him out of a bar," Peter called.

"Lily, please. If you don't unlock the door I'm going to Alomohora it," James rapped on the wall, but everything stayed regrettably quiet.

"Lily -" a tiny sniffle made its way through the doorway. "Lily are you crying?" James pleaded. "I'm going to Alomohora it - I can't -"

"Alomohora," Remus murmured, and the door unlocked with a small click. He stepped back to allow James to slowly push it open. They met little resistance, and instead found Lily's hunched form, with her head in her arms, red hair wild and masking her face. She shivered slightly as James went to sit next to her on the bathroom floor, hesitantly wrapping an arm around her shaking body.

"James," she whispered.

"Yes?" He stroked her back comfortingly.

"I-I'm …" their few words were lost in a whisper.

"What?" James asked gently. "What was that?"

"Pregnant," and Lily broke into a new fit of sobs. The room was silent, as if a thin wall were in front of them and any sound would shatter it into a million pieces.

"...pregnant?" Remus finally whispered. "With a child?"

"Yes, because people generally give birth to owls when they're pregnant - of course it's a child!" Sirius scowled, but at the expression on James's face, softened.

"But that's good isn't it? You'll have a tiny Prongs running around, won't you?"

"It might be a girl," Peter reminded him.

"But it might be a boy," Sirius shot back.

"I sort of would like it to be a boy…" Lily murmured softly, her voice hoarse and a little broken.

"See," Sirius said triumphantly. "It's gonna be a boy,"

"The baby's gender doesn't depend on what the mother thinks," Remus rolled his eyes.

"Well it does now,"

"Shut up, Padfoot,"

"James, are you alright?" Peter cut in. "You look sort of pale,"

"Prongs! Come out of the bathroom, you need to sit down mate," Sirius grabbed his arm and marched the stricken man out and into the living room, where he promptly collapsed on a couch. Moments later, Lily made her way in as well, supported by Remus and Peter, and joined her boyfriend.

"James?" Lily murmured.

"I'm a father," he whispered. "I'm going to be a father!" His voice rose with every word.

"Merlin, I'll have a kid! And we'll teach him to play Quidditch, and -"

"It might be a girl," Lily smiled. "Then we'll get to put her in little dresses,"

"But Quidditch also!" James laughed. He laughed so hard he began to cry, the tears rolling down his cheeks like rain droplets down a window, until he sank back into Lily's arms.

"I'm a father," he sighed.

* * *

"James, now is the not exactly a good time-"

"Yes, I know, but please Lily, just this once? We haven't had a date in ages! And besides, it's Valentine's Day, please?"

"Alright. But we have to be careful, you know, with the war and all, and especially Harry..."

"YES!" James cheered, and immediately ran off to tell his friends.

"I swear, I'm dating an absolute child…" Lily sighed, but grinned. She sat down on the sofa and instinctively placed her hands on her ever-growing belly.

"You better not grow up to be like your father," she told it. "We don't need two hurricane Potters running around,"

"I heard that!" James called from the bedroom.

She laughed, and headed towards the sound of James's voice to change.

An hour later, the couple was happily strolling down the streets on muggle London, heading towards their favorite cafe.

"Hey, Lily," James said.

"Yeah?" she replied, glancing through the windows and peering at the multiple items inside them.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Are you sure, because it's quite big,"

"Ask away,"

"Alright, follow me,"

"James, wha- AH!"

Lily yelped as her boyfriend grabbed her arm suddenly and whisked her away into an alley.

"What are you -"

"Shhh," he grinned. "We can't let muggles see us,"

"Wait no - JAMES!" She almost screamed as James suddenly grabbed her waist and Apparated them both away.

"A little warning next time?"

"Nah,"

Suddenly Lily noticed where they were. She gasped.

"James, are we at Hogwarts? This is Hogwarts!"

"Yes," he said slyly. "It is,"

"Why are we here?" she looked around in a mixture of confusion and joy.

"So I can ask you a question," James replied slyly.

"Well what is it?" she replied, still gazing at the sight around them.

"What's your name?"

"Lily," she said. "Wait, why -"

"No," James cut her off. "What's your full name?"

"Lily Evans - James what are you getting at?" She began to turn around, but James stopped her.

"I don't like it. Ah, look at the giant squid!" He yelped, as he shoved her back around.

"Yes, the squid is very nice," she started, but stopped. "Hey, that's not -"

"Change it,"

"What?"

"To Potter,"

There was a moment of stunned silence as Lily registered his words, until she finally turned to face him.

"Wait did you just -"

"Lily Evans, would I have the honor of asking you to change your last name to Potter?"

And there was James, on one knee, holding a lovely velvet box containing the most beautiful ring Lily had ever seen. The entire thing almost glowed in the sun, as if it were enchanted with a dazzling spell of glittering lights. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Lily?" James asked, still kneeling in front of her.

"You idiot!" She gasped. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" Lily screamed, and threw her arms around her soon-to-be husband, the pair both laughing and crying at the same time. It was a tangled mess of wild red hair, bright green eyes, and excitement mixed with James's short black hair and soft hazel eyes shining with joy. The couple couldn't have been happier.

* * *

Late at night in Godric's Hollow, the happy Potter family slept peacefully in their cozy little home, blissfully unaware of the man - or what was sort of a shell of a man -standing at their doorstep. He was tall, thin, and very gaunt, yet he radiated a horrible sense of dark, seeping power, the kind that surrounds someone who tampers with death. A huge, billowing cloak whirls around him like a black hurricane. With every step something dark, evil, and demonic, follows in his path. His companion, a single cloaked figure, stands vigilant and firm by his side. The figure's face is covered by a mask.

"Hello," the man calls, his voice hoarse, but dangerous. It slithers through the cracks in the doorway, and climbs the stairs to the Potter family's bedroom.

"I would like to know," he hisses. "If I would be allowed in,"

James Potter is suddenly shaken awake by a horrible voice that is all too familiar.

"Lily," he whispers urgently. "He's here!"

"You have three seconds!" The man yells. "One...two...three! Alright, too late!"

The man whips out his wand, a thin, white piece of wood with a hook centered on top.

"Confringo!" He shouts, and points his wand at the Potters' roof. It burst apart with a powerful explosion, and flames spread out rapidly. Debris rained down, like deadly hailstones covered in fire. With a flick of his wand, a quick shielding charm is spread out over the building, protecting its inhabitants as well as the two unwanted visitors.

"A warning," he calls. "Now, let me in! Ah, Severus," he points at his companion. "Open the door," he commands.

Everything is silent in the house, until both parents are in the nursery with their frightened son. James knelt down by the boy's crib and stroked his hair.

"Harry," he whispers. "Remember, Prongs loves you. Daddy loves you,"

A loud, bang shakes the room. And James knows what he has to do.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! I'll hold him off!" He yells, and chaos reins once more. After finding that the door could not be cursed, jinxed, or charmed open, the man's companion gave a great shout of frustration and blasted the door off it's hinges.

The pair is faced with the sight of James Potter, wandless, still in his pajamas, glasses crooked on his nose.

"Stand aside, and you will live," the man said, with a shocking amount of composure and grace. He almost seemed business-like, with his wand held casually in his hands. Something in James's eyes flashed.

"I am only here for the boy,"

James snarled, and leapt forward. He managed one step, and half a punch, before the dark lord yelled, "Avada Kedavra!" and James fell limp on the ground, his fist still clenched, eyes still open. His glasses lay cracked on the ground beside him.

Upstairs, Lily held Harry, the last remnant of her husband, when she heard the dark lord's voice, and the heavy thump of a body hitting the floor.

Her heart cracked, and absolute agony spilled out.

It didn't last for long, because something clicked in her mind.

Peter - _he gave them up!_

And suddenly, the pain was swamped by a burning, sparking anger that bubbled, flamed, and threatened to explode in her chest.

Everything she loved, everything that was important, her entire life - it would not end like this, but she could not hope to survive.

She knew, with absolute resolution, just as her husband had known moments before, what she had to do.

"You know, I would kill you all if I had it my way," said a quiet, hissing voice at the doorway, and Lily looked up. The man was almost taken aback. Almost. Even at his high and empowered position, the dark lord saw something in the fierce in the bright green eyes of Lily Potter. Had she been even just a little bolder, he may have even taken a step back; but, behind the anger, hate, and horrible twisting darkness swirling around her eyes, he saw just a small fragment of fear. And that was all he needed.

"Unfortunately, you happen to have an anonymous friend in my ranks," he stepped inside the room.

"Stand aside, and you will live,"

"No," Lily snapped forcefully. "Never,"

"Last chance," the man smiled with something like a failed attempt at kindness. He raised his wand and pointed it at Lily, who stayed stubbornly in her place.

But faced with the dark lord, with his wand pointed at her face, defenseless and almost ready to die, Lily felt something within her break. Slowly, she turned to face her teary-eyed son.

"Harry. Harry, you are loved. You are so loved. Harry, Mama loves you. Dada loves you. Harry, be safe. Be strong," She stroke his cheek and patted his small, shivering head, before turning back to face the man before her.

And with her last shred of hope, Lily Potter screamed as loudly as possible, a terrible, shrill scream that filled her chest and found life through her throat. She thought, maybe, if all of her dead friends were listening, if _anyone_ around heard, they would come in time to help.

"Shut up!" The man shouted angrily. "I will kill you all!"

"Not Harry, not Harry, please, not Harry!" She screamed as if all of Hell were rising through her, and the dark lord winced.

"Stand aside, you silly girl… stand aside now…"

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead -" her voice became shrill and desperate, and her screaming became even louder, filling with fear and remorse.

"As if," he laughed, and steadied his arm aimed at her face.

"Not Harry! Please… have mercy… have mercy…" her voice faltered slowly as Lily realised that this was the dark lord, Voldemort himself. And as her last effort, she screamed the loudest, most painful scream she, or even the man shooting a poisonous green jet of light pointed straight at her body, had ever heard. It was a scream filled to the brim with sadness, pain, and horror. It captured the very essence of losing a loved one so dearly held close to such a kind of man, and hurled itself out of her, so strong, clear, that it could have been musical had the absolute demons of Hell not sounded like they were breaking out through her voice. And it was so forceful, so powerful, that the dark lord himself almost felt a spike of magical power so strong that he almost thought he saw a burst of white energy throw itself from her chest as he killed her. But, of course, that wasn't possible. He laughed a horrible, sick laugh as he watched her body freeze, float for a moment surrounded by that same green light, then fall to the ground with a sickening crunch, that scream silenced forever. Bright green, blindingly bright, filled the vision of Lily Potter, a thousand things whirling through her mind at once, and in the next instant, everything snapped shut and faded to black.

She knew nothing more.

* * *

"Lily?"

She woke up in a hazy place, pure white and covered in mist. She blinked, and reached up to rub her eyes. When she opened them again, a indistinct shape was standing in front of her. She squinted and the shape became clearer.

"Lily, is that you? You're so blurry, I can barely see anything -"

She snapped to attention. She knew that voice.

"James?" Lily croaked, her voice sore and cracked, her mouth filled with a coppery tang. "I'm - is that you?"

"Lily!"

And hand grasped hers, and suddenly, everything was bright and clear. Her beloved husband, his glasses crooked on his nose, eyes wide with worry stood over her.

"James!" She reached up and grasped him tightly in a bone-crushing hug. It felt so good to be back in his arms again, but the moment did not last long.

"Harry," James suddenly said, and both wizards stared at the spot before them, where they had both been just moments ago. Would their baby son join them?

Moments passed, then minutes, then an hour. Or, that's how long it felt. Neither could allow themselves to think that maybe, just a little, they would want him with them here, wherever they were.

It was James that first spoke.

"Lily," he breathed. "I don't think he's coming,"

"What… but then…"

The couple froze in the shocked, jagged silence that spiked through the air.

"He's alive!" Lily murmured. "He -"

"He's probably killed Lord Voldemort!" James burst out excitedly. "My boy, my Harry, killed Lord Voldemort!"

"Now, James, he might have been saved by someone you know-"

"That doesn't matter! What matters that he's alive, and he's probably safe now, and he's going to go to Hogwarts, and be a wonderful Gryffindor, and be on the Quidditch team, and…"

He burst into a happy sob and Lily wrapped her arms around him. After everything, Lily thought, it was all worth it. Their wonderful son alive, safe, and he was going to be happy. After all, what worse could happen now?

* * *

 **Hey so I finally uploaded a new oneshot, and like it says in the description, this whole thing will just be a collection of oneshots and things I think are important in the majestical world of Harry Potter :). Also I'm thinking of discontinuing Hera's Little Minion because I kind of gave up on it ._. If no one wants me to continue it I will not be, unless someone says they do. Anyways, I hope u guys are having a nice summer because I'm not. Augh. I'm heading to A Star Math League Camp on Monday so that'll be great. I'm also thinking of uploading a new Solangelo fic. What do u guys think** **? Also the title of this specific thing is stolen from a Chainsmokers album. Uh, I need to say that because I think otherwise I might get copyrighted or fthfhsgyjsjs idk. Yeah that's it bye**

 **Edit: SO I JUST REALIZED THIS THING IS OVER FIVE THOUSAND WORDS I FEEL SO PROUD SKSKDJKWKSKKKEKEKKW**


	2. I Wish You Wouldn't Do That

James Potter looked down at Harry Potter, his wonderful son, as he made his way through life and without doubt, history. He almost couldn't believe that his son, his Harry, had grown up to be the chosen one. He was only just a boy, James supposed, but then again, James had been a boy as well when the war began. But Harry was so young, so little, and suddenly he had been thrown into this mess of war and horcruxes and so much more than James ever had to deal with. And he was only barely fifteen, so young, yet knowing so much but so little at the same time.

Sometimes James wished that he could descend from the heavens and tell Harry everything, about what Dumbledore had planned, how he should have been raised, what James himself had done and knew - there was so much to say, to teach, to share. And yet, James knew he would likely never get the chance to voice any of it until, well, Harry's death. And Merlin knows James would never want that, no, if his boy could live forever, he would be glad for it. But he couldn't quite silence that tiny little voice in the very back of his head telling him just how nice it would be to have his family all together again…

No, that would never happen, not for at least another hundred or so years. James shook his head, and focused his gaze back on that boy with the messy black hair and crooked glasses.

Lily would often come and tell him to stop this unhealthy habit of his, to look away for maybe just a minute and let himself relax. Yet, from the moment little Harry had arrived at the Dursley's front doorstep, James found it harder and harder to tear his eyes away from the child. Every waking moment of his seemed to get worse, and worse. It was remarkable, James supposed, that the boy hadn't broken and shattered already. Then again, he was Lily Potter's son. What else were to be expected of him?

The things that hurt the most, however, were Harry's tiny little quirks, those habits of his that anyone, even himself, ever noticed. Even worse, perhaps, were how familiar they all were, as if James had seen them before in someone else. How angry James had been when he realized they were the quirks and habits of Sirius Orion Black, the boy who had been near tortured by his parents, abused, screamed at, and blasted off the family tree.

It almost made sense, James thought, in a twisted kind of way, how similar Harry was to Sirius. The Dursley's were only a mere shadow of Walburga and Orion Black, with their curses and horrid spells, yet James never felt such _anger_. How dare they treat his son, his beautiful Harry, in this way? Lily _died_ to protect him, to leave him in the hands of these _horrid_ excuses for people? No, it couldn't be. He wouldn't let it. But what could he do? James was dead and gone, his soul only another wisp in a place unreachable by the living.

But there was still more, James saw his own little habits in Harry as well, the more unpleasant ones. The way he would immediately snap into a defensive position upon hearing a single suspicious sound, how he hand always lingered near his wand, the flashes of bright, sparking anger at the smallest little thing, the position in which he always sat, as if he were ready to take off on a moment's notice, even when he were relaxing. These were all habits one picked up from war, James told himself. Everyone has those. Yet, again, he was reminded how his Harry was in a war at such a young age, barely old enough to drive a muggle car.

James knew he couldn't do anything about it, couldn't curse Severus Snape into oblivion, couldn't jinx Dumbledore so hard his knees quaked with the effort of fending it off, couldn't send a barrage of spells so painful the Dursleys screamed and clawed at their skin in agony. No, James could do nothing but watch as Harry took that defensive position when scolded, or tapped his finger on the desk, waiting, always waiting for something to happen.

Perhaps the worst quirk that Harry had, the one that tied him both to Sirius and the war, was how nervous he always seemed, how his eyes would flick around the room coldly, always scanning, calculating, watching. An outsider would think, "oh, that poor boy, look how nervous he always is. Must be a shy one," but James saw more than that in his eyes, more than just nervousness. He saw a fierce, unwavering determination that would not stand for the other side's win. James saw the tired, hard eyes of a veteran, eyes that had seen so much, seen the death of one of his best friends before he was yet sixteen, eyes that would stop at nothing to protect his friends and family. James should be proud, and he was, but he couldn't stop himself from wishing it had been different, that Harry had a happy little sparkle in his eyes instead, a bright light of innocence untainted by the horrors of war.

Instead, James could only look on as the fire burned in his Harry's eyes, a fire that roared and grew with vicious ferocity as his friends fell one by one, Hedwig, Cedric, Sirius, Dobby, Fred, Remus. All gone, and with James at his side, watching as the flames were fanned, unable to be quenched, that would grow and roar until the other side were buried in its ashes. And as Harry walked to his death in the Forbidden Forest, the fire still grew, only softening when his family appeared around his, guiding him on. As Harry faced his killer, Lord Voldemort himself, the fire still burned, and, as he died, instead of falling away, hardened and solidified into a hot shield, sparkling and beautiful but just as terrifying and deadly at the same time.

"Oh, Harry," James whispered. "I wish you wouldn't do that,"

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 **Wow, I finally uploaded something. I know, shocking, right? Yeah, sorry to the two people reading, uh, the Internet was actual death in Boston and New York. I actually have another chapter coming soon, cause writing was literally the only thing I could do... So yeah, that's going up. Oh, yes, I was in Boston and am now in New York, about to go home. Aight, see you guys when I get there.**


	3. How Could You?

Peter never thought he would be doing this. Never. How could he betray James and Lily, his best friends, the ones who had protected him and taken him in when he was an outcast and alone? How dare he? He didn't know what was wrong with him, he was in Gryffindor after all; why couldn't he just be as brave and loyal as the other Marauders? Why? What was wrong with him?

As he left the company of Lord Voldemort, Peter almost couldn't bear to do it. He almost choked on his tears as he began to run, run far away where Sirius and Remus wouldn't find him. He couldn't constrain a tiny wail as he ran, everything was almost too much. Peter knew he would be caught, he knew he was always just a little too slow, a little too dumb to outsmart Sirius Orion Black. Yet, he didn't know what to do but try, he had to, because he couldn't think of anything else to do.

He almost expected it when Sirius came roaring up behind him, on his flying motorbike, screaming with rage and a horrid type of pain streaking his words. Peter saw the tears, saw everything. He looked exactly like he had just a few years ago, when he had run to James's house, away from his parents. Tears falling from his eyes, anger flushing his cheeks, pain choking his words.

" _HOW COULD YOU?"_ He screamed. "They were your best friends! _Our_ best friends! Wormta-Peter, how could you?"

Peter never forgot the wave of agony that slammed into him, how close he was to sobbing right along with the man - no boy - in front of him. He couldn't really recall what came next in absolute detail. A wave of his wand, a heavy bang, a spike of pain as his finger fell and hit the ground, and he scurried away as a unassuming little rat. Even as his eyes glossed over the papers that mentioned how Sirius Black had been hauled off to Azkaban without a trial, he felt nothing more. The world was numb, and nothing could break the white fuzziness clouding his thoughts. _How dare he?_ Peter asked himself. _How could he do this?_ Even Sirius's face, crazed and laughing because he didn't really know what else to do, didn't break him. Peter's mind only had one thought, and that thought were to survive. And so he did, for the next twelve years he did fine, until James and Lily's son came to Hogwarts.

Terror had filled his mind, intense and almost blinding. He thought his heart would blast out of his chest when he saw Harry. He knew him; of course he did. How many times had be babysat with Sirius and Remus when James and Lily needed a break? How many? And that blasted cat; that horrible cat that brought back memories of James and Lily when they got him, how happy Lily had been when James finally agreed to get that damned cat. And again, Peter asked himself, how _dare_ he do this to them? _How could he?_

Until the absolute moment of his death, Peter felt nothing but a numb sense of hollow emptiness for what could have been, what could have happened had he just been a little braver and told Voldemort the wrong address. He could have run as fast as possible to James and Lily's cozy little home, told them what he kind of _monster_ he was, begged for forgiveness, and maybe, things would be different. Harry wouldn't be there in that dungeon with all his friends, Sirius wouldn't be dead, James and Lily would be alive, and Peter wouldn't have to feel as he did now, as if he were the worst person in the world. He was, Peter supposed, and it was too late. So when death greeted him, a terrifying grin on his face, Peter took his hand, cold and frightening as it was, and went willingly, filled with relief. He deserved this kind of death, and even more. He was glad someone was finally willing to kill him.

Maybe now he wouldn't have to deal with it all, wouldn't have to see Harry Potter's hard, battle-worn eyes every time he dared to sleep, wouldn't have to see Sirius's broken face any longer, wouldn't have to feel the pain of betraying his own best friends to the Dark Lord. Wouldn't have to ask himself, _how dare you? How could you?_

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 **Yeah, I've finally uploaded something. I was too lazy yesterday, so I'm sorry for that. And my apologies for basically half-assing it all. I guess I'm just not, uh, what's that word... _motivated_ enough to do all this shit. Ah well. I'll try to upload something else soon. Sorry about this. **


	4. A Mistake

Remus had been standing by the counter of a muggle bar when it happened. One moment he had been fine, a little hurt, yes, he missed his friends, but that was nothing compared to the horrible creeping feeling that suddenly crawled up his spine. It was as if the cold hands of death were teasing him, quietly whispering behind his back, telling him of something horrible and sick to come…

Soon, it was all too much, and Remus went quickly to James and Lily's house. He had to, even if they wouldn't accept hi-

No. Something was off. Then again, no one could say it was alright when the _roof was blasted off_. With a sinking, burning feeling in his gut, he entered through the hole on the wall.

And when he saw James - everything crashed down. His hopes, his dreams for the future, everything, gone. His best friend, the first one to really accept him as a person and be a real friend that did things friends did like go to bars and set up surprises for mums and girlfriends and take turns changing their baby's diapers - he wasn't there anymore.

And what's worse - Sirius had done this, for Sirius had been the secret keeper, and only Sirius could have told the Dark Lord where they were. There was no other possibility, right?

And Remus left, tears spilling out of his eyes, a broken man with nothing to salvage from the wreckage. And that was his mistake.

If only he had known that Harry was alive, still breathing, scared, and crying. If only he had waited just moments longer for Sirius to arrive and explain _everything_. If only he had just stayed in that house for _one more minute_ , everything would have been at least a little bit okay.

But he didn't stay, and that was his mistake.

So Remus grew into his thirties - alone and homeless for the most part - and found the boy that should have been calling his Moony or Uncle calling him "professor". And he found the boy that should have been spoiled with love and worry about nothing but his grades beaten to pieces and worrying every day about whether he would get to eat decent food, or burnt leftovers. Remus found the boy that should have had everything, with nothing. All because of that one, tiny mistake.

Remus spent ten years and some thinking that one of his best friends, his only friends, had betrayed two other ones and killed the third. He thought he was alone.

A lot changed when Sirius escaped Azkaban, he met Tonks, and found Peter still alive, hiding with a _boy_. A lot changed, and it was a lot more difficult now, yes, but Remus wasm't alone anymore, and that was everything. He thought things could have worked out in the end and the people he loved would be able to grow older and have a normal life.

But then Sirius died, and Peter was still a traitor. Another mistake. And another. Or, what Remus thought were mistakes.

Maybe they weren't, but those were a few mistakes too many.

So when he fell with Tonks at his side, knowing their baby boy would be safe in Harry's hands and never alone like he was, it was okay. At least he had a chance to fix the mistakes he made.

And it was enough.

* * *

 **Hey there! I am alive, yes! Unfortunately!**

 **I literally wrote this in like 15 minutes because I thought I would take a break from doing nothing, so you should know that this was the product of a sad-song-fueled brain dump. Sorry if it's not exactly a work of art but I tried and I think I should get credit for that.**

 **Um, what else? Oh yeah, I also have the first chapter of Hera's Little Minion 2.0 queued up but I've been lazy and not doing anything. I'll probably go work on it right after this. Probably.**

 **Also I get that no one reads my stories and I literally have 0 views on some of them (which I'm ? really ? You didn't have the courtesy to at least _show_ someone my shit? I didn't even get a fucking chance fuck you all) but like... I'm here because I wanted to put my work online some way or the other and this happens to be the place I chose. Please don't be a dick about it just because I'm not famous. Anyways I think I'm entitled to say there are worse writers than me with a hundred times more reviews and followers because this site is fucked up in all sorts of ways, but whatever. This is _fanfiction_ , by the way. This isn't even all technically original work because someone else made the setting and characters so like fuck off damnit.**

 **Thanks, see you in three years or so probably.**


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